The U.S. Treasury Department has launched a new sanctions campaign against Iran under the name “Operation Economic Fury,” aimed at intensifying economic pressure on the government of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Tehran to “choose wisely,” saying the United States remains prepared for further military action if Iran makes a “poor” decision. He also stated that restrictions related to Iranian maritime activity, including pressure around the Strait of Hormuz, would stay in place “for as long as necessary.”
The Treasury said the operation targets two major illicit financial networks linked to Iran’s oil sector and regional proxy funding. The first is the Shamkhani network, described as a multi-billion-dollar oil and shipping empire tied to senior Iranian figures and Russian-linked trade flows. The second is a Hezbollah-linked financing network involving an Iranian national and three companies accused of facilitating oil-for-gold transactions between Iran and Venezuela to fund Hezbollah and the IRGC-Quds Force.
Officials said the measures are part of an expanded “maximum pressure” strategy and warned that secondary sanctions will be imposed on any foreign financial institutions or entities that continue dealing with the sanctioned networks.
